Riley Cox from A.P. Brewer High School participated in the Environmental, Earth or Space Science division of the Alabama Regional Science Paper Reading Competitions Feb. 2 at the University of South Alabama.

Her paper was entitled “The Effect of Variables on Silicon Based Photovoltaic Cells.” Her teacher-sponsor is Angela Smith.

The competitions are sponsored by a partnership between the Alabama Junior Academy of Science (AJAS) and Alabama Math, Science, Technology Initiative (AMSTI). The competitions will take place at 11 sites across the state, one for each of the 11 AMSTI regions

Competitions were open to any Alabama high school student (Grades 9-12) who has completed original scientific research and developed a scientific paper on that work. Students will be presenting in early February with the first ones were held February 2 at the University of South Alabama (USA) and Athens State University.

Student presenters at the USA Regional Competition represented both public and private high schools. State winners are eligible for scholarship monies and receive an expenses-paid trip to the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) where they compete for additional scholarships.

The University of South Alabama Competition was held in Shelby Hall, University of South Alabama. Robin Chesnutt, AMSTI Specialist, and Dr. Ellen Buckner, AJAS Committee, were presiding. An interdisciplinary panel of judges heard the four presenters and made a determination of state finalists. There will be both regional finalists and at-large finalists in categories listed in Table 2.